Sherwood Park’s Primary Care Network (PCN) has partnered with local family physicians and recreation facilities in an effort to promote an increase in physical activity.

Launched on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at Edmonton City Hall, the Prescription to Get Active campaign will allow health care providers the ability prescribe physical activity to patients who would benefit from increased activity, much like a doctor would prescribe medicine to ailing patients.

“We’re all familiar with the concept of a prescription — most of us have had a prescription from our doctors in the past for something — so we’re using that same idea, but this time prescribing something a little less invasive like exercise to help manage care and to incorporate more activity into their lives,” said Dave Ludwick, general manager and chief operating officer of PCN Sherwood Park. “It’s an exciting program.”

The program, initially founded by New Zealand physicians under the name the “Green Prescription (GRx)” in 2011, was adopted by Albertan family physicians out of the Devon-Leduc-Beaumont PCN later that same year.

The Prescription to Get Active, Ludwick explained, would be acquired by visiting one’s family doctor. As part of the appointment, either the patient or the physician would then suggest a possible benefit from exercise, and should both parties agree that exercise would be a good prescription for the patients health condition, the physician would then write and sign a prescription.

“The prescription can be anything. The doctor might say go walk 20 minutes a day or do some light jogging. It’s going to be something that is familiar with the patient, yet respects the health condition that they are in,” Ludwick stated.

Once handed that prescription, the patient then has an opportunity to take advantage of one free visit and a tour within local recreational facilities.

Should the patient be interested following the one-off session, they would work with that facility to sign up for a program.

In total, 21 recreation facilities across the Edmonton area will be participating in the indefinite campaign including Strathcona County’s Glen Allan Recreation Complex, Millennium Place and Ardrossan Recreation Complex.

“Whether the patient comes to see their family doctor in Sherwood Park, but decides to go to a recreation centre in a different location — they’re all designed to try to take down economic barriers for patients that get into some of these facilities.

“We’re not talking about turning people into weightlifters. What we’re talking about is setting up an appropriate level of exercise for that person’s particular health condition so that they can manage their care moving forward,” Ludwick explained.

While there is no time limit for when a patient chooses to use the prescription, the prescription is not transferable, nor can it be used more than once as the facility will keep the prescription in exchange for the services provided.

“If any resident of Strathcona County over the age of 18 is interested in accessing the prescription to get active, they should see their doctor,” Ludwick said.

Sherwood Park physicians and health care workers will receive their prescriptions in the coming month.